Close Resources

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Impacts

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu




Fiscal Year:
Jul 1, 2022 - Jun 30, 2023


Success StoryUniversity of Kentucky Turf Team



University of Kentucky Turf Team

Author: Bethany Wilson

Planning Unit: Pulaski County CES

Major Program: Turfgrass

Plan of Work: Financial and Career Preparedness- NEW

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The green industry is a $9 billion industry and employs 26,000 in Kentucky with turfgrass and landscape businesses contributing to the local economy of both urban and rural communities across the state. 

In 2022, the Pulaski County Horticulture Agent joined two other agents and UK’s new Turf Extension Associate to form the University of Kentucky State Turf Team.  This team provides turf programming and organizes and executes the Kentucky Turf and Landscape Short Course. 2025 was the last year of a formal turf team.

The team meets weekly over Zoom and face-to-face to discuss the UK turf program, to prioritize publications, and to put together the state conference program.  

Due to a snow accumulation, the first day of the conference was not well-attended. By the end, however, around 300 people attended the three-day Turf and Landscape Short Course in February 2025. Overall, participants were very pleased with the meeting organization, location, topics, etc. The event produced a little over $36,000 that goes directly into funding the Extension Turfgrass position.

The conference also included a Commercial Pesticide License study day, culminating with the test in the late afternoon. More than 25 people took the test.

Surveys showed that 72% of short course attendees adopted practices, technologies, or knowledge that resulted in improved turf quality, improved landscape maintenance, increased yield, reduced inputs, increased efficiency, increased economic return, and/or more conservation of resources. In addition, 89% agreed that attending this event helped them remain employed by keeping their pesticide license current. Lastly, 61% of the attendees said that by attending this conference their business will net (by saving or earning) $1000 to $10,000 per year.






Stories by Bethany Wilson


Recovery Gardens at Sky Hope Rehabilitation Center

about 1 years ago by Bethany Wilson

In Pulaski Countys 2018 Community Assessment, substance abuse treatment ranked as important to very ... Read More


Master Gardener Program

about 1 years ago by Bethany Wilson

Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) are volunteer educators serving across the country in local communi... Read More


Stories by Pulaski County CES


Thriving Cloverbud Club

Thriving Cloverbud Club

about 1 years ago by Erica Spurgeon

Within the Kentucky 4-H program, most clubs and activities become available to youth at age nine. By... Read More


Pulaski County Loves 4-H Day Camps

Pulaski County Loves 4-H Day Camps

about 1 years ago by Erica Spurgeon

One of the greatest aspects of the 4-H program is the plethora of ways that programs can be provided... Read More